


Oh, what a cliche

by halorpatson



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Origin Story, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Closeted Character, Coming Out, Eventual Smut, F/F, Falling In Love, Female Peter Parker, Genderbending, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, My First Fanfic, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Out of Character, POV Female Character, POV First Person, Peter Parker needs a nap, Porn With Plot, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Spiderman AU, fem!Peter Parker - Freeform, professor/student, ps4 spider-man, spider-man but make it lesbians, spiderman transformation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-03-07 13:07:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18873802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halorpatson/pseuds/halorpatson
Summary: Professor Pen Parker is the ever-exhausted Chemistry teacher at New York University. What will happen when an experiment goes wrong, and she begins to become interested in one of her students? Find out in this classic 2012 style reader self insert.





	1. Genesis; Week 1 day 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, so this is essentially a disaster of canon. Think of this as a messy mixture of the spider-man comics, amazing spider-man and the PS4 Spider-man game. Take all of those elements and throw them out the window. I won't be following any specific universe in particular. I could argue this is one of the many universes in the Spider-verse, but let's be real I just wanted to write something like this. I hope you enjoy!

I gripped my phone tightly as I tried to navigate the crowded halls of the science building. I pushed past other students in an attempt to try to find the signs with classroom numbers on them. I looked down at the map of the building I had on my phone, which I pulled from the school's website. I couldn't seem to find my class. I turned around to try to find a sign when I collided into someone's chest and was immediately sent to the floor. 

 

“Hey, are you okay?”, a woman called. She looked to be in her early 30s. She had long pale blonde hair and she was wearing a lab coat. I assumed she was the one I crashed into. She reached her slender hand out to help me off the floor. I took her hand and stood next to her, she was so much taller than me. 

“There you go, are you alright?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m alright thank you so much. I uh, I’m trying to find my class but I think I'm lost. It was kinda hard to see where the numbers are.” 

“Is it your first semester here at the University? Let me help you out, what classroom are you looking for?”

I handed her a copy of my schedule I had in my pocket. 

“Ah okay,” she said handing me back my paper, “go down to the end of the hall and turn right. It should be the first classroom you see”.

“Thank you so much I appreciate it, uh, what was your name? I’m (Y/N). ” I asked as I put my schedule in my back pocket. 

“Dr. Stacy, I’m a Biochem Engineering professor here. If you're ever interested, don't be afraid to stop by my lab. I'm actually looking for a few new lab assistants this year. Are you a BioChem Major?”

“Oh, uh thank you but I’m not sure. I'm taking Chem101 so I can meet my science requirement. I'm not really that great at science, heh. I’m actually a Journalism major.”

“That sounds fantastic, well good luck with your classes (Y/N).” Dr. Stacy gave me a quick pat on the shoulder before turning around and heading towards a staff lounge. 

 

 

I looked at my now cracked phone screen to see that now I'm almost 10 minutes late to class. I hurried down the hall and quietly opened the door, hoping the professor wouldn't see me slip inside. I was immediately noticed by everyone in the lecture hall as I interrupted her speaking.

 

“Come on in, there's some empty seats in the back,” she said. “Are you crashing my class?”

“Uh no, Professor Parker. Sorry I’m late, I'm already enrolled for this class.”

“No worries, I’m just going over the syllabus.”.

 

I took a seat in the back and quietly began to get my notebook prepared. A student sitting in front of me handed me an extra copy of the syllabus. 

I looked over at Professor Parker. She seemed really young, almost too young to be a Professor. She had floppy dark brown hair, black thick-rimmed glasses. Her face was slightly sculpted, with soft cheeks. From where I was sitting I couldn't really get a good look at her. But she was attractive in the nerdy kind of way. She was hunching slightly as she leaned on her desk, reading the syllabus aloud to the class. She was wearing an oversized lab coat that made her look like she was drowning in white fabric. 

I took notes on what she was saying, making sure to write down all important deadlines and policies. No late work, seriously?

 

 

The 2- hour class was close to ending. Professor Parker was in the middle of telling a story about her time as a student at the university when everyone began silently putting their supplies away.

“Uh wait guys”, she called out. “I know I’m almost out of time here, but we still have 2 minutes. I want you guys to pair up with another student and exchange contact information. They will be your partner for all lab activities and projects. I’ll see you guys on Wednesday in the lab, have a good day everyone”.

 

The girl who handed me a syllabus at the beginning of class turned around to me.

“Hey kid,” she said. “Wanna pair up?”

“Sure, I guess.” I said. The girl had fair skin and light freckles. Her soft reddish hair hung down to her shoulders. She looked to be in her mid-20s or so. About the same age as the professor. 

“Cool, my names Mary Jane. Here's my number.” she said, handing me a post-it with her number on it. 

“I’m not available on weekends because of work from 7pm-5am bartending. But I'll be down to meet up during the week if we need to”. She stood up and put her bag on.

“Alright cool, thanks for letting me know. I'm (Y/N) by the way.”

“Okay (Y/N), I’ll see you on Wednesday.” Mary Jane said as she headed out of the lecture hall. 

 

I packed up my things and headed out of the classroom. I said goodbye to Professor Parker, who nodded in my direction in response. 

I walked to my car and sat for a few minutes checking emails from my other professors. After I was done I started the car and immediately threw it in reverse. I heard a loud scream from right behind me. I slammed on my break and checked my rearview mirror, only to see a pissed off Professor Parker with a soaking wet shirt.

“Hey watch where the hell you're going!” She yelled. 

I got out of my car to make sure she was okay.

“I'm so so sorry Professor, are you alright? Did I hit you?”

“No, you didn't hit me, I'm alright. You just made me spill my coffee.” She said, wiping off her dark green button-down shirt. 

“I'm really, sorry. I guess I was distracted.”

“It happens to the best of us I guess, just be careful." She looked up from her coffee-stained shirt over to where I was standing. "Hey, come here."

I walked closer to where she was. I could finally get a good look at her from up close. She had hazel eyes and light freckles on her face. Her thin, boyish figure was in proportion now that she wasn't wearing her lab coat. She was wearing black, fitted slacks and oxfords. Her professional attire made her seem older, but her face gave away exactly how young she was.

 

"Are you one of my students?" She asked. "I think I remember you.”

“Yeah, my name is (Y/N). I uh, came in late to your Chem 101 today.”

“Ah, yes that's where I know you from. Wow, you come late to my lecture and you nearly kill me, you must really not want to be in my class.” She said, jokingly.

“Haha, again I'm really sorry Professor Parker, it won't ever happen again.”

“What? Coming late or trying to kill me”

“Both”

“Well, that's for the best.” Professor Parker said with a smile. 

“I’m going to my car now, try not to hit anything." She said, walking away. "I’ll see you in the lab on Wednesday. Don't forget to wear proper lab gear." 

“Don't worry, I won't.” I called after her.

She stopped in her path and turned to me

"Come down to earth for my class, okay space cadet? You seem like a nice kid. I look forward to working with you." She said, walking towards the staff parking lot. 

 

I stepped back into my car and carefully slipped out of the student lot. I was at a stoplight when I heard a motorcycle rev its engine right next to me. I looked over to see Professor Parker waving at me before turning the corner.  
She's really something else.


	2. A second introduction; Week 1 day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its the second day of school, but the first day for some of the new classes. An introduction to Photography, Journalism and loud roommates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's be totally honest this is basically exposition day 2. This is almost the last chapter where I'll be introducing characters and classes. We have one more, and that's where the story begins to pick up. Thanks, I hope you enjoy!

I woke up at 3 am to shower and get ready for my opening shift at a local cafe. I put on my work uniform and brought an extra blouse to change into once I clocked out. After putting everything I'll need for the day in my car I headed over to work.  
It was a normal and boring shift. I've been working at this cafe since I was 15, so the daily grind is something I'm used to by now. Since I'm in college they've switched me to the opening shift, so the whole “getting up and getting to work by 4 am to grind beans” thing is new to me. 

I changed into my white blouse after my shift was over at noon and headed over to NYU. 

After driving over in the traffic and finding parking it was already 1:30, so I had a little bit of time to kill before class.  
I headed into a small deli around the corner from the arts and humanities building. 

I couldn't see anyone behind the counter when I first walked in.  
“Hello?” I called out. “Are you guys open?”

An older Cuban woman appeared from one of the isles.  
“Hola mija, one moment okay.” She said, shuffling over to the sandwich counter. “What’ll it be?” 

“Can I get a roast beef sandwich on a roll?”

“No problem mi linda, do you want the combo?”

“Uh yeah sure, thanks,” I said, handing her a ten dollar bill. 

She handed me my change and a few minutes later I was handed a paper box with my sandwich, a pickle slice, a bag of lays and she directed me towards a refrigerator with drinks I could choose from. I grabbed an orange soda and took my meal outside. 

I sat on the curb watching people passing by, eating my lunch.

After a few minutes went by I heard the older woman yelling from inside the shop.  
I turned my head around to see her reaching over the counter to give a blond woman a hug. She was saying things in Spanish I couldn't understand but I assumed it was good. The two talked for a while as I finished off my lunch. I stood up to throw my trash away in the bin outside her shop when I was met with the blonde woman from the store. 

“Dr. Stacy?” 

She looked up at me, carrying two cups of coffee and her wallet in her mouth.  
“Oh hi, uh sorry hold on,” she said, attempting to maneuver her stuff into her pocket without spilling the coffee.

“Here let me help” I took one of the cups from her so she could easily put away her change and her wallet.

“Thanks, uh, I'm so sorry I've met so many students lately. what was your name again?”

“I'm (Y/N), we met yesterday. I was trying to find Professor Parkers class and I well, uh, bumped into you”

“Oh yes! I'm sorry, I remember you now. Wow, you really like making a habit of running into me huh.” She said, taking back the other cup of coffee.

“Yeah I guess so, at least no one got hurt this time.”

“So you know Pen, huh, If I had known you were looking for her class I would've escorted you there myself to say hi. She's decided not to tell me her schedule this semester so we both have to find each other.”

“Oh, you two know each other?” I asked.

“Yeah we’re doing some research together and we went to the same STEM School. I'm helping her out on a project for her Doctorate. You should stop by sometime its really interesting”

“Thank you Dr.Stacy but I'm not sure. I don't know a whole lot about chemistry.”

“Well, it's not really a Chemistry thing exactly. It's more focused on helping people who work in nuclear power plants. It's good stuff I think you'll appreciate it. You said you were a journalism major, maybe you can write an article about us, ha”

“Heh, yeah maybe. I’d be weird to spend so much time with my professor, isn't that like, unprofessional?” 

She chewed on her lip for a moment, thinking.  
“No I don't think so,” she said, “I mean it's good research. She needs assistance from someone who isn't a doctor anyway. Plus it’d be good to get some fresh eyes, especially from someone on the outside. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I think I do. I'll think about it, okay?”

 

“Alright, thank you (Y/N). Would you be able to get back to me by next Wednesday? That's when we’re gonna start doing some major experimenting.”

 

“Yeah, totally no problem. Thanks, Doctor Stacy.”

“Anytime kid. Are you headed to class? I can show you around”

“Thanks, I’d really appreciate that,” I said.

 

We walked on campus together and parted ways on the first floor of the arts and humanities building. I took the stairs up a few floors and waited for my Photography class to start at 2:30. I sat on the floor outside the class and was doing some light reading when a tall, brown-haired guy came and sat down directly across from me.  
He waved at me to say hello and I nodded at him, continuing with my book.  
The class went by quickly and smoothly. It was a short class and we really just went over the syllabus. The professor told us about our upcoming projects and deadlines for portfolios.

It was only 1 flight of stairs up to get to my next class, Journalism 101. It was the class I was really looking forward to. I read online that the professor was an actual journalist before he became a teacher. It was exciting to think about how I would be able to learn from a true expert in the field. Maybe he could even get me an internship. 

I was once again given a lecture on the class’s syllabus. It seemed like a really easy class. It was project oriented, our first one is an interview with a teacher of ours.  
Professor Brock seemed cool enough. He definitely wasn't what I was expecting. My idea of an investigative journalist was a clean-cut, smart looking guy, but man was I wrong. Professor Brock looked like hell, to put it nicely. He was wearing a stained button down shirt, and he looked like he hasn't shaved in weeks. Maybe that was his style? A sort of, homeless alcoholic chic? I don't know, whatever he was going for I guess it was working. I wouldn't go as far as to call him attractive, but he wasn't bad to look at. I could also just be a little too critical I guess.  
The class came to an end at 7 pm and I headed back to my car. The 30-minute drive back to Brooklyn wasn't so bad, I stopped for a burrito on the way home and ate my dinner along the way. I finally got home and immediately collapsed onto my bed. I could hear my roommate and her boyfriend sitting in the living room. Judging by their volume I assumed they were drunk and playing some sort of drinking game. I drowned them out by putting on my headphones and drifting off to sleep.


	3. An opportunity and a warning; Week 1 day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day in the chemistry lab. It seems everyone has something to say about Professor Eddie Brock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this truly a 2012 reader teacher/student AU without some staff rivalry?  
> Also does this prove I know nothing about spider-man and chemistry?  
> Enjoy!

The laboratory that was for our class period was only a few doors down from the lecture hall. I made sure to arrive early to class this time. I walked in to find Professor Parker writing a daily agenda on the whiteboard.

 

“Come on in”, she said. “We won't get started for another 15 minutes or so. Go ahead and get settled in.”

I sat at a lab table a few rows away from the front, near a window. There were only 2 other students in the class besides me. A woman sitting in the very back was typing something on her laptop, and a boy sitting in the very front was playing with a pair of rubber gloves. 

I glanced over to Professor Parker to see what she was writing.  
Today we’re going to go over lab safety and do an experiment with density. I didn't think we’d get started with actual chemistry stuff until next week. I guess she wants us to move fast.

Professor Parker had beautiful handwriting, that was one of the first things I noticed while watching her. It was clean and simple, considering how fast she was scrawling information on the board. Every time she made a spelling mistake she used the sleeve of her light blue button-down shirt to fix it, which resulted in a black stain on her left sleeve. Her glasses were pushed up onto her forehead, and she was chewing on her tongue as she was writing. Once she was done, she picked up a lab coat from her chair and let the white fabric swallow her. It looked like she was wearing a cape. She sat down and busied herself with straightening out her desk as more and more students filed into the lab. 

I saw Mary Jane come into the lab, she locked eyes with me and smiled. She walked over to where I was sitting and pulled up a chair next to me. 

 

“Hey buddy”, she said. “How’d things go yesterday?”

 

“Oh pretty good, I had photography and Journalism. They seemed okay, we haven't really done much” 

 

“Yeah I guess that's expected, most teachers don't do jack shit on the first day.” She said, laughing.  
“Journalism sounds pretty cool. Do you wanna be a journalist?” she asked.

“Yeah, I've always wanted to do investigative work and stuff like that. Ever since I was a kid it seemed interesting to me. I'm pretty excited for my Journalism class, its taught by a guy who used to work for The Daily News.” 

 

“Oh, dude that's pretty sick. Professor Brock right? I think I've heard a few teachers talking about him.”

 

I could see Professor Parker listening in on what we were saying. I glanced over when I felt her eyes on us and she immediately looks down at a pile of papers on her desk.

 

“Uh yeah,” I replied. “Professor Brock that's him. He seemed okay, he looked like hell.”

 

Mary Jane slid closer to me and poked my side with her finger.  
“Yeahh, well I have a friend in his class and she told me that Professor Brock is fine as hell. She said it's super easy to get an A. All you have to do is, you know, go to his office hours”

 

Professor Parker suddenly stood up from her seat.  
“Okay class, Hi. Uh, welcome. Let's get started okay?”

The class went by fairly quickly. Professor Parker went over the rules of the lab. No open toed shoes, hair in a ponytail, etc. The density experiment was actually really fun. We mixed different liquids together and had to predict which one would end up on top. Mary Jane said it was similar to making cocktails.

Towards the end of class, Professor Parker did some explaining on our first project. We had to do a similar exercise that we did in class, but with 10 different experiments. It was due in 2 weeks, which seemed easy enough. I think the part that's going to take the longest is writing a report in APA format detailing every single one of our predictions and outcomes. 

As people started leaving the class, Mary Jane waved goodbye to me and filed out of the class with everyone else. I was finishing up packing my bag when Professor Parker came up to me.

 

“Hey, you're (Y/N) right?” She asked.

 

“Yeah, what's up Professor?”

 

“I just checked my email and Dr. Stacy was telling me that she's interested in having you help us with one of my personal projects. I didn't have you pegged for someone interested in work like this.”

 

“Well, I didn't say yes to Dr. Stacy. But she said I should look at it from a journalist perspective. I have a project for my Journalism class in which I need to interview a teacher. Maybe I could do that and help you guys out?”

 

“I think that's a great idea. It would be nice to have someone working with us. We’ve already asked a few STEM majors and they’ve all said no. Most of them already have internships.”

 

Professor Parker started tapping on the desk absentmindedly. 

“So uh,” she started. “I overheard that you're in Brock's class, huh. Is he your Journalism Professor?”

 

“Yeah he is, do you know him?” I asked.

Professor Parker scoffed.

“Yeah, I guess I do. I was an intern for the Daily News when I was a kid. Previewing work before sending it to editors. Easy stuff. Eddie Brock was a hotshot there. The guy thought he was a God. He felt like since he was able to get good stories he was untouchable.  
Well, I was reading over one of his biggest pieces and something about it just didn't sit right with me. So I ended up doing some of my own research and fact-checking with the people he interviewed. Turns out he was falsifying information to make it seem like the CEO of a tech company was sexually abusing his workers. He was actually getting engaged to an intern. The CEO guy was just a dickhead to Eddie during the interview so he twisted the whole story to try and destroy his credibility. What a sick bastard.” 

Professor Parker’s face was getting red and she was clenching her fist. 

“God, you'd think with all the actual creeps in the world Eddie Brock would do something about them but no. He only cares about making people think he's great. And now I've heard a few students complaining that he's being creepy towards them and I just-”

Professor Parker looked over at me. She took a deep breath and regained her composure.  
“Sorry,” she said. “I just really don't like that guy”

 

“It's okay!” I said. “I mean I get it, he was being a weasel.”

“I'm gonna be honest with you, you'll get a great inside look into the world of journalism from Brock. Just, make sure you're careful around him, okay He’ll do anything to get what he wants”

 

“Yeah, no for sure,” I replied. 

I slung my bag over my shoulder.

 

“I really should be heading out now,” I said.

 

“Oh, yeah totally. I'll see you in class on Monday okay? And uh, Wednesday after class come to the staff private BioChem lab that's downstairs. Dr. Stacy and I will be there to start doing some work. Or, uh, I guess I could walk down with you.” Professor Parker said, scratching the back of her head. 

 

“Yeah, sure. Whatever works. I’ll see you next week Professor Parker.” I said as I headed out the door.

 

“Okay, see you on Monday!” She called after me, with a smile.

 

She had such an adorable smile.

I headed out the science building and headed towards my car. I got a text from Mary Jane right as I sat down behind the driver's seat. 

Mary Jane:  
Hey kid, its MJ. Wanna meet up at a bar in the Bronx? Its where I work. Its happy hour rn and i figured we could get started on that density thing

Me:  
Yeah totally I'll meet you there

I put my phone in my bag and headed towards a location that she sent me. Hopefully I can make my first friend tonight.


	4. Wednesday Night Lights; Week 1 day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some quality time spent with Mary Jane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is kinda short. Its hard to plan the timing for all this, but I wanted to make sure MJ was given more time to shine.  
> I hope you enjoy!

It took almost an hour with traffic to get all the way from lower Manhattan to the Bronx. I found a parking lot a few blocks away and put $20 in the meter. I didn't want to bother with exact change, especially since I knew Mary Jane would be waiting for me.

It didn't occur to me until I was nearing the entrance to the bar that I probably won't even be let inside, I'm only 18. I tried slipping inside with a rowdy group of women, all wearing sashes that said “Team Bride”. My plan worked and I found Mary Jane sitting at a booth, assembling a Jenga game. 

 

“There you are!” she said. “What the hell took so long?”

 

“I'm so sorry, traffic was killer.” I said as I sat down opposite her. 

 

“Traffic? You seriously drive out here? God, I can't even imagine.” 

Mary Jane and I began playing Jenga and discussing the events of our day. Around 6 pm a waitress behind the bar sounded a cowbell and announced to the entire bar that happy hour had officially started.  
Mary Jane quickly got up from the booth and headed towards the bar, along with about 45 other people. I waited for her checking my emails and saw that I had one from Professor Parker. 

 

Penelope.Park@NYU.EDU  
Good Evening (Y/N),

Thank you for agreeing to assist Dr. Stacy and I with our research. We’ve been working on this for almost a year. We are currently in the final testing stage before I officially send this to my superiors this winter. We will begin final testing next Wednesday, September 12th.  
Dr. Stacy and I look forward to working with you. Please feel free to stop by my office if you have any questions or concerns. 

Penelope B. Parker  
Professor, BioChemistry  
Assistant Chair, BioChemistry, Chemistry, Sciences  
(xxx) xxx-xxxx  
penelope.park@nyu.edu  
MS-824

 

Mary Jane slid back into the booth, opposite me, and handed me a glass beer bottle. It had a label I didn't recognize from any movies so she must've brought a local craft beer.

“Cheers kid! We can get started on our science stuff once the bar clears out a little and Evelyn can give me access to all the booze back there”. 

Mary Jane clinked the top of the bottle sitting in front of me and took a large swig from her drink.  
She noticed I hadn't touched my drink.

 

“What's wrong? Not a beer person? Do you want something else?” She asked, handing me a cocktail menu. 

 

“Uh no its cool, I'm just not 21 and I don't wanna get you in trouble.” I replied.

 

“Oh shit, Jesus Christ kid. I didn't know you were that young. Uh, okay.”  
Mary Jane took the drink she handed me and finished off her own. 

 

“You might have to drive me home after all this is over” 

 

After about an hour the bar started to settle down as more and more people came looking for dinner. Mary Jane and I mixed together different combinations of oils, water, alcohol, bitter and syrups trying to test their densities. It was a decently easy project, and the outcomes ended up being pretty gross. I ended up drinking a combo of soda water and olive oil, worst part of the night by far.

Mary Jane had gotten pretty hammered by 9 pm, and I was getting really tired. I had to be up at 3 again for work and I'm usually asleep by this time of night. We eventually left the bar after we finished cleaning up our mess and I had finished logging all our results into my chem notebook. I helped Mary Jane into the passenger side of my car and I drove her back to her apartment in Greenpoint. Mary Jane passed out after a few minutes, so I spent 40 minutes driving while listening to her snoring lightly. 

I took her phone from her and tried to find her address. It took about another 15 minutes of searching, but I finally managed to find her place. I helped her up to the third floor of a huge brick building. I took her keys from her purse and unlocked her apartment.

Considering how tiny most New York apartments are, this place was amazing. The brick walls were painted white, and she had colorful chairs and a couch in her living area. The open kitchen seemed kind of old and there was random piles of papers and sweaters. She must never use it.  
There was an old record player on a sleek black coffee table, and a collection of Vinyls and CDs stacked on the adjacent wall. The walls were covered in posters advertising rock shows, and black and white prints of a younger looking Mary Jane. 

“Are these pictures of you?” I asked, helping her sit down on a teal couch covered in pillows. 

“Yeah,” she said. “I used to do modeling stuff. I started in high school but it wasn't going where I wanted it to I guess. I did a few zines and I posed for some fashion students. Editorial stuff. I like that hipster stuff but it wasn't making money and I just couldn't deal with creepy photographer dudes. I was making more money working bar so I just stuck with that while I went back to school.  
It's a good thing I'm smart I guess, ha” she said, giggling.

She lifted herself up off the couch and shifted over slightly so she was looking straight at me.  
“I'm just, so sick of dudes. That's why I'm gonna be a photographer. I wanna make things better for younger girls who wanna be models.” 

 

“Mary Jane,” I said. “You have to realize you aren't that old. But what you're doing is awesome, I'm happy for you.”

 

“Thanks kid, and by the way my friends call me MJ.”

 

“Okay”

 

“And well, you're my friend” she said, smiling up at me.

 

“Thanks..MJ”

 

I pulled a blanket on top of her and she almost immediately drifted off to sleep. I plugged her phone in to charge and left her keys next to a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water for when she wakes up.

Her apartment was about 20 minutes from my place, and by this time there was almost no traffic.  
I slipped inside my apartment and found my roommate and her boyfriend sitting on our couch playing video games.

 

“Hey (Y/N)!” Cas called. “Come play smash with Diego and I, he keeps beating me and I can't let that happen”

Diego pushed her playfully and glanced over to my direction.  
“Dude, you smell like a frat house. Where were you?” he asked.

 

“Oh, I went to a bar with a friend from class. I just took her home.”

“A bar?” Diego and Cas exclaimed.

 

“Did you finally get a fake (Y/N)?” Cas asked me.

 

“No, I wasn't drinking”

 

“Ahhh, come’on Cassie. You know she a'int like that. Shes just a kid.” Diego said.

 

I shook my head and went back to my room. They all think I'm a loser, but It's not that I don't want to go out and have fun. I guess I just didn't want to get MJ in trouble. 

I put my bag together for tomorrow morning. I don't know how I'll survive the morning shift and class. But it's gotta get done.


	5. Anticipation; Week 1 Day 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another boring class. Another friend? Another red flag? Another passing thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heres another short one. Enjoy!

I nearly fell asleep at the beginning of my shift. I don't regret spending time with MJ, I'm glad I made friends quickly but I just wish we had hung out earlier.

I managed to “practice making drinks” and get myself some espresso so I could have enough energy to finish out my shift and head to class later.

Once I was done, I decided to head home and leave my car there. MJ made a good point yesterday, it's ridiculous to be driving in the middle of New York City every day. It was a 40-minute bus/metro ride all the way to school. Even after all that I had about an hour to kill before class, so I stopped by the little deli where I saw Dr. Stacy the other day.

The older Cuban woman I met the other day recognized me, and we chatted for a while after I ordered. Her name is Teresa and she's probably the nicest person who works in customer service I've ever met

I headed back to school and found that the classroom for my photography class was unlocked and empty. I sat at a desk pushed up against the wall and closed my eyes waiting for class to start. I must've been asleep for about 15 minutes before another student walked in the door and startled me. 

It was the brown haired guy from yesterday, I don't think I remember his name from roll call. 

He sat directly behind me, even though the entire classroom had available chairs. I tried not to think about it too much.

Other students began to file in and soon enough the professor showed up. 

I don't think the Professor had much planned for today. He was playing a video presentation on the rules of the dark room that was assigned to our photography class. 

Once the video was over, he assigned us all to pair up and complete a worksheet in which we had to decide what we would be shooting this semester as a duo. The brown-haired guy who sat behind me tapped me on the shoulder.

“Wanna group up?” he asked. 

It seems like he was my best option, everyone else seemed to already know someone from this class. 

“Yeah, sure. What's your name?” I asked him.

“Oh, uh I'm Kyle. Are you a Photography major?”

“(Y/N), and no actually. Journalism” 

“That's pretty cool too. So uh, are you more interested in nature or like what? I do a lot of skyline stuff, but I'm down for whatever really.”

“I mean, to be totally honest,” I said. “I'm not super into photography, I'm just filling in an art requirement. I'm down for some urban city stuff. Do you have your own company? You act like you've done this before”

“Yeah I mean, I used to submit my shots to National Geographic and stuff, but they never even considered me. So I sell a lot of prints at art fairs and stuff,” he said, beginning to fill out the assignment. 

“So,” he started. “It looks like we’re gonna be spending a lot of time together, huh. Would you be interested in hanging out tonight? Sunset is around 5:30, we could grab a coffee right after class and take some nice shots near the river.”

“Oh, maybe tomorrow? Or uh, another day? I have class until 7 today, Journalism 101.”

He sheepishly looked away from me

“Yeah, uh no totally. I uh, have work on Fridays but uh. Yeah, sometime soon.”

Aside from more awkward conversations with my partner, photography went okay.

I quickly climbed the stairs to Professor Brocks class and sat down. The class spent about 10 minutes talking amongst themselves until Professor Brock showed up. He looked a little better since last time, but he definitely didn't look like any of the other teachers. I'm pretty sure he was wearing the same dirty shirt as the class before. 

He told stories about his time at the Daily News for most of the class. For the last 30 minutes, he had us come up with a list of potential questions we would ask our teachers for our interview project. 

Professor Brock was walking around the class, making sure everyone was staying on task. He came beside me on my right and looked over my paper.

“Oh, Parker huh. I haven't seen Penny in years. How's she doing?” he asked, crouching down to be at eye level with me. 

“She's doing great. I’m going to be working with her and Dr. Stacy on a project they’re working on. Something for Professor Parker's doctorate.”

“Doctorate, wow. I didn't think little Pen had it in her. Well, congrats to all of you” he said, smugly. He gave me a gentle touch between my shoulder blades as he strolled along with the class, checking on the other students. 

I could hear Professor Parker's words ringing in my ear. I hoped what MJ said wasn't true. I want to trust him, he was my idol as a teenager. There was no news coverage on why he got fired. It must've been a really big deal at the time for it to get covered up so well. 

During the last 5 minutes of class Professor Brock announced that we would be heading on a field trip to the 9/11 Memorial Park.  
We would be paying our respects, and also asking some of the staff working there about their experience. 

I slipped out the door with everyone else and headed home. 

It was a quiet night. My roommates left a note on the table saying they went out for a “girls night”. 

I ate dinner alone while looking over some of the readings for Journalism. Professor Brock assigned us a copy of his own biography, I guess to gain insight into the journalism world.

I couldn't focus on what I was reading. For some reason, I just couldn't get Professor Parker out of my head. I keep thinking about how light and clean her hands were, tapping on my desk yesterday. How she looked when she got angry, her dark brows furrowing behind her thick glasses. Her whole face turned a light scarlet color, her freckles almost disappearing as she told me all the awful things about Professor Brock. She spoke so eloquently during lecture and in her emails, it was strange that she let her true colors shine through like that. She had such a goofy smile too, I wish I could see more of it. 

My daydreaming was interrupted by the sound of a car alarm right outside my window. 

Typical Brooklyn noise I guess.

I eventually put all my things away and let myself drift off to sleep at last.


	6. Pain in the acai; Week 1 Day 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some girl time, which unfortunately turns into boy time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted some good friendship time, while also setting up some romance stuff. Leave your thoughts in the comments! I hope you enjoy

I hardly ever remember what I dream about the night before, but this time was different.

It felt so vivid, so real.

I dreamt I was walking along the waterfront nearby parents house.  
The Hudson River was frozen over, and thick blankets of snow were covering the lawns of all the houses I passed by.

It was becoming impossible to walk.  
I couldn't move my legs through the snow anymore.  
I sat down with my back against a fence to catch my breath and the flurry picked up speed.  
I was being mummified in snow, left there to be a frozen artifact for someone to find in the spring.  
I couldn't move my body, I watched myself become buried from a far off point of view.

Then, everything was warm.  
The sickly sweet smell from the trees was surrounding me.  
The river flowed again as if nothing had happened.  
Small ferries and boats passed along the city.  
The mountain of snow that had accumulated on top of me melted into a pool of clear water.

A slender figure had stood in front of me, melting the flurries of snow that were plaguing my dream.  
She reached a hand towards me and pulled me up towards her.  
I couldn't see her face, it was being covered by strands of brown hair.  
I reached my hand to push the hair out of her face to see who she was and-

 

A car alarm was once again blaring outside my window. Godforsaken New York City noise.

I turned over in my bed to check my phone. I had slept in until about 11 so all my roommates should be at work by now. I headed to the kitchen and made some breakfast with what I could find in the kitchen. I streamed movies on my laptop as I was eating, enjoying my day off.

 

After lounging around for a few hours, I got a text from MJ asking if I wanted to go with her to a grand opening of a vegan cafe a few blocks from The MOMA. I didn't have anything better to do, most of my work for class was done. So I got dressed and took the subway down to the center of the city.

I met MJ a few blocks from the cafe, she was wearing white sundress that made her soft red hair look ten times brighter. She waved me over when she saw me coming up the stairs from the Lexington Ave Station.  
“Hey!” she called. “Come on there's already a huge line.”

I hurried over to meet her and we briskly walked together to wait in line for overpriced smoothie bowls.  
We spent the day together, eventually walking around The MOMA, which I hadn't been to since middle school.

 

We walked along the streets and we talked about the guys she was talking to, how she got a second job as a wardrobe assistant for Glamour Magazine photoshoots.  
Eventually, we sat down in Central Park, watching the tourists passing by.

MJ turned to me and asked, “So, how’re your classes going? See any cute guys?” MJ poked me gently in the side and giggled.

“Uh, heh, I mean I guess? There's a guy whos really nice in my photography class. He’s kind of awkward.”

“Yeah, but is he cute?”

“Um, yeah I think so. He has a, uh, really nice smile. I don't know much about him, we were supposed to work on something yesterday but I had class.”

“Seriously?” she questioned. “A cute guy asks you to hang out and you blow him off?”

“I had class! What was I supposed to do, and it totally wasn't like that, we’re partnered together for the semester.”

“Okay, whatever you say. Did you make plans to see him? Its always nice to have someone to be romantic with your first year of college, dating cute guys is all part of the experience.”

“No he's working today, and hey I don't need a guy to have fun in college.”

“I know honey, but trust me its more fun this way. Give me your phone, let's make plans with this photography guy.”

I playfully rolled my eyes at her and handed her my cell.

“What's his name?” she asked, scrolling through my contacts list.

“Kyle. I think his last name is O'Neil, or maybe O'Donnell.”

“O'Connor?”

“Yeah, that's him.”

“Okay”. MJ gave me a dramatic, doe-eyed look.  
“Hey Kyle” she started, mocking my voice and batting her eyes at me.

I was almost doubled over laughing at her impression. “Stop I do not sound like that!” I said in between my breaths.

MJ continued in the same voice. “Hey, Kyle. It's (Y/N) from your photography class. You're so super cute. I think we should toootally hang out this weekend. Get some work done for class. Or maybe we could just get to know each other...”

 

I took my phone back from her and gave her a playful push.  
“Don't be a jackass,” I said laughing.

I fixed the text to be less ridiculous and more appropriate for a classmate.

 

 **Me:**  
**Hey Kyle, it's (Y/N) from Photography 100. Do you want to take skyline photos sometime this weekend? Saturday works best for me, is that okay?**

I looked over at MJ who gave me a huge grin.  
“See!” she said. “Not so bad”

Almost imminently I got a response from him.

**Kyle O'Connor (PHOTOGRAPHY 100):**  
**Yea. Pier 45? We can take pics of Jersey from there. Is 5 okay?**

**Me:**  
**Cool, see you then.**

 

I put my phone back into my pocket and MJ and I continued to talk about boys. Well, she did most of the talking. I didn't have much to say really. I dated a guy back in high school for almost 2 years, but we broke up the day after graduation. I wasn't really too upset about it. I don't think I've thought about him since June. It's just hard for me to really get invested in boys. I know I’ll have to get married one day, my dad keeps asking about grandchildren. I just don't think I've found the right guy yet. I wish I could have what MJ has. We're talking to guys makes her heart flutter and that's all she goes on about. Maybe I just need time.

Eventually, MJ had to head back to work so I took the subway to the Bronx with her and dropped her off.

 

I headed back to my apartment. It was pretty early in the night, only 7:30 by the time that I got home. Cassandra and Diego were sitting on the couch, eating pizza and watching movies.

“Hey kid,” Cas said. “Wanna join us”

Diego eyed me up and down critically before turning to give his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek.  
“I’m gonna go, Cassie, okay? I love you” he said.  
He pulled his phone out and started texting on his way out, not even saying goodbye. What a weirdo, he’s been cold to me since he met Cas a few months ago when we all moved in.

I joined Cas on the couch and took part in eating her pizza. We watched the rest of some horror movie that she started before I got home. She told me about her day working at her dad's law firm and how Diego had bought her a really nice painting for their 2 month anniversary. It was hanging in the hallway outside my bedroom. It was okay, nothing too special. It looked like something you’d find at a local fair. I think Cas was just in her own little pink cloud thinking about him buying her something.

 

I don't think I’ll ever understand my friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didnt know if I could curse in titles but for anyone who isnt sure its pronounced ah-sah-see. We love a play on words


	7. Oh Shoot; End of Week 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A date, a photo shoot, a promise, and another daydream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry this took so long for me to update. I just got done with classes and I've been taking time to work on my mental health. I'll try to update this bi-weekly if I can. I intend to keep the chapters very short, however from this point forward I will be picking up the pace a little bit. I hope you enjoy!

I had another dreamless night before stumbling through my opening shift. I don't remember most of what happened while I was working.  I don't think I was  fully awake. My eyes were open and my hands were working but I was  just on autopilot until my shift ended at noon.

I made myself an espresso to go as I walked into the back room to check my new schedule and grab my stuff. The manager had to change my hours pretty  drastically . I have the opening shift every day except Sunday, my only day off. I guess with all the part-time high school kids going back to school, they needed me to make up for all the kids who quit. 

On the subway ride back home, I was listening to an audiobook of my Chemistry textbook when I  was startled by a text notification .

** Kyle O’Connor (PHOTOGRAPHY 100): **

****

** Hey, are you still up for a shoot today at 5? **

****

Crap. I almost forgot about him.  I don't think I could blow him off, it would be rude at this point in the day. Plus MJ would want me to get out with a nice guy.

** Me: **

****

** Yep :) **

****

** See you at the pier  **

\---

By the time I got home, it was way too early to leave but I didn't  really have enough time to do anything. I had a quick lunch of toast with peanut butter and sat on my bed, staring at myself in the mirror above my dresser.

I don't think I have to look nice to see him, right? I was wearing casual clothes, and he’s seen me wear similar outfits to this during class. Why should it be any different now? Should I try to impress him? I don't even know anymore. 

High school boyfriends were so much easier. I  just went to the guys' lacrosse games and held his hand. I only ever considered making an effort for him when we went to prom together. 

All that shit is past me now, I guess part of being an adult is looking like one.

 

 

 

I switched my casual top for something  slightly dressier. Some floral patterned thing my mom bought me from the mall a few years ago. I put on a delicate gold necklace to make the outfit seem nicer than it actually is. I felt a little less comfortable, but it's worth it. 

I don't know why I had such a hard time convincing myself to look nice for this poor guy. At the end of the day, I guess it's  just because I don't want to. I don't know. I  just can't force myself to want to impress him. 

I fixed my makeup that was  slightly worn off after work and sprayed a bit of perfume on before I left around 4.

 

 

 

It was about a 45-minute ride and I got there early enough to find a nice place to set up my tripod and get all my camera equipment in order . 

Kyle walked over to where I was setting up at almost exactly 5 on the dot. 

I helped him set up his equipment and we chatted a bit before the sun went down around 6:15. 

I was taking photos of tourists riding the ferry along the river when he began to ask me a few more, well, personal questions .

 

 

“So, does your boyfriend know you're here with me?” He asked, adjusting the lens of his camera.

“Oh, I don't have a boyfriend don't worry.”

“That's cool, that's cool.” He began  nervously tapping on the side of the lens as he kept fidgeting. 

“So”, he continued, “What got you into photography?”

“I mean, I'm  just filling an art  requirement . I  really want to be an investigative journalist. Ever since I was a kid. I figured it would help me move up in the workforce if I knew how to take my own photos, you know?”

“Why do you wanna be a journalist so bad?” 

“Well, I always knew I wanted to do something different. For the longest time, I thought I was going to grow up and be a ballerina. But, I stopped taking lessons after uh, some family issues when I was younger. And well, after that I thought about how cool it would be to try and solve mysteries. You know? My dads a cop-or well, I mean he was, he retired a few years ago. I never  really considered police work, so a journalist it was” 

“Can I ask what family issues?” He said, leaning in closer to me.

I lowered my camera and turned my face away from him, giving myself some personal space. “Uh,  maybe another time Kyle. I mean, I hardly know you haha”

He straightened up and reached his hand up to  awkwardly scratch the back of his head. “Yeah, no no no yeah sorry, I uh. I guess I  just feel like I know you so well. Heh, um.”

He paused for a moment, continuing to fidget with the camera. 

“Look,” he said, “Are you interested in coming with me to dinner next Saturday? I know a great place near Washington Square Park, its real close to my apartment. Do you like sushi?” 

Oh. I guess dressing up made an impression on him

“Yeah,” I replied. “Sushi sounds great”. 

I gave him a polite, yet empty smile.  I don't think he took much notice.

 

 

 

We cleaned up our camera equipment and he promised he would give me hard copies of the prints he took for class. We  eventually went our separate ways and I didn't crash into my bed until 8. 

I didn't realize until I kicked off my shoes exactly how hungry I was. Peanut butter toast 6 hours ago isn't enough to sustain a grown woman,  apparently .  With Kyle's dinner offer in my mind, I placed an order for cheap takeout sushi that I ate on the windowsill of my bedroom, looking out at all the passing people . 

Sunday nights aren't usually very lively.  It's a lot of older women heading home from a nearby Presbyterian church, and people working late shifts heading home . 

My mind wandered into what this week had in store for me.

 

 

Tuesday, I get to spend some time with Professor Brock on the field trip. I wanted to spend more time with him,  really get to know him.  Maybe what Professor Parker said about him wasn't  entirely true, and he was a decent guy.

Professor Parker. Now that's someone who hasn't left my mind since that first day of class. 

I can't believe she trusts me enough to let me interview her and write reports on her work.  I wonder what she’ll have me do.  Hopefully, nothing goes wrong, I've never done any super serious lab work.  I can't imagine what would happen if things went south, especially since she's working with some kind of nuclear nonsense . Is this experiment even safe? Or legal? 

Worst case scenario is a giant radioactive lizard bursts from a test tube.

Best case scenario is, well I guess more time with Professor Parker. 

The same daydream from the other day crossed my mind as I finished up eating. Professor Parker's thin hands, working hard on experiments. I saw her swirling liquids with glass and metal tools. She was typing  furiously at a keyboard, chewing on her tongue as she was deep in thought. She was licking her soft, delicate pink lips. Her small frame hunched over a desk, tapping her foot on the tile floor. Her gigantic lab coat  was spread across the back of her chair, revealing a dark olive button down. The same one I made her spill coffee on from when I  nearly killed her on the first day of class.

I expected her to be more angry that day. I don't know if she has the capacity to feel that way, she was so kind to me. Talking and joking with her is so easy I can't wait for the next time I can see her. 

I  eventually snapped out of my daydream and cleaned up all my trash before heading to sleep.

My dreams that night  were filled with images of The Hudson River, gentle subway rides, and Professor Parker's hands close to mine . 


	8. Complex Feelings; Week 2 Day 1 and 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief moment spent with a sleepy professor. An awkward minute spent with a guy. A new side to a jaded idol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi I know I said I'd be consistant but I lied. Im trying, im dying, I hope you like this. Next chapter will be filled with some of that good Reader X Fem!Peter flirting and science stuff.

 

The laziness of Sunday helped me get into the right mindset for this week. I did almost nothing except help clean the apartment and work on some assignments that aren't even due for a few weeks.

Kyle texted me on and off throughout the day. He kept asking what I was doing and how I was feeling. He's persistent, I’ll give him that.

It was another dreamless night before my opening shift Monday. I don't know how I'm going to get used to working so many hours in a week. I'm not even sure it's legal to make me work more than 40 hours when I'm going to school full time.

I’ll deal with the consequences of my sleep deprivation later. For now, I took a coffee to go and headed to Chem. 

\---

Class was...interesting. To say the very least. Professor Parker came in with 2 cups of coffee and placed them next to about 5 other empty cups on her desk. That woman is so tiny, you’d think she would've had a heart attack by now. 

 

Professor Parker went over our density project from last week and covered a bit more on the volume and a bunch of other stuff I honestly can't remember. 

I was so distracted during class I had a lot of trouble focusing. I kept thinking about everything I have going on this week. I really hope my Journalism field trip would go well tomorrow. I still don't have any friends in that class, and he wasn't super clear on what it was we’d be doing there. I'm sure he's got it figured out, he should know what he’s doing at this point. Right?

 

I spent so much time wrapped up in my own thoughts I didn't even realize class was over until I heard MJ yell goodbye to me as she was walking out the door. I pulled my bag together and headed towards the door.

 

“I’ll see you Wednesday Professor!” I said, slipping by Professor Parker's desk.

  
“See you Wednesday, space cadet.” She replied, giving me a warm smile. 

She pushed her thick glasses up her face, resting them on top of her mound of curly brown hair. She rubbed her eyes and gave a big yawn before sitting back down at her desk. 

 

I headed in the direction of the subway and spent the entire ride trying to re-learn what was taught today using the audio version of the Chemistry textbook. 

 

I helped Cas cook dinner tonight and we ate together, along with Diego. He seemed more civil than usual tonight. Maybe someone finally took the stick out of his ass.

 

\--------

Another dreamless night led me into Tuesday. Another boring ass shift led me into Photography. 

 

I got to school about an hour before class started and I didn't realize that my phone was still off from when I got into work. I turned it on as I sat down outside the classroom door to find I had a few unread text messages from Kyle. 

 

**Kyle O’Connor (PHOTOGRAPHY 100):**

**Good morning! I hope work goes well today :)**

**(6:32 am)**

**Are you on your break yet?**

**(9:45 am)**

**Hey :)**

**(10:30 am)**

**Did you get off work?**

**(12:06 pm)**

**Hello? (Y/N)?**

**(12:17 pm)**

**Are you mad at me?**

**(12:30 pm)**

**Is it because I asked you out? Im sorry that was so stupid please just talk to me**

**(12:42 pm)**

**Are you going to class? Let me talk to you**

**(12:56 pm)**

**See you in class.**

**(Just now)**

  
  


What was this guy's deal? I put my phone away before taking a seat inside the empty, unlocked classroom. I guess he's mad at me now? I don't know what's going on in his head. Maybe this is just how things go in college, I wouldn't know. 

 

A few students trickled in over the next 45 minutes, and about 10 minutes before class started Kyle came in and locked eyes with me. He made a “come here” motion with his hand and stepped outside.

 

Okay, I guess this is happening. 

 

I left my bag on my desk and slipped out of the door. He was standing right outside with his back against the wall.

 

“What the hell?” he said, putting his clenched fists into his pants pockets. 

 

“What the hell what? You know I was working?”

“You couldn't text me back? Look I know I don't know you that well yet but, I dunno. When I'm with you I just feel really happy and stuff. You know? Look, I-” he said, stammering. He observed my concerned expression and softened his face. 

 

He took a deep breath and drew his hands from his pockets. 

“I think you're pretty cool, okay. Look, I'm sorry I freaked out earlier, are we still on for sushi?” 

 

I took a second to think before answering. Do I really want to deal with his emotional outbursts? Well, MJ said I should have fun. This doesn't have to be a long-time thing. 

 

“Yeah,” I said. “I'm still down.”

 

“Okay cool,” he said, visibly relieved. “You know, this is uh. This isn't a friend-thing. Right? I'm uh, I'm trying to ask you on a date. Well, I did ask. I'm just not sure if you caught it-”

 

“I got it,” I said, cutting off his rambling.

I gave him a polite smile and headed inside. 

 

The professor ended up really liking our prints. Kyle really did have a talent for this sort of thing. He gave us a new assignment that involved taking photos of nature. Kyle and I planned to meet earlier on Saturday, to take photos before our date. 

 

A date. I didn't think it would happen this fast. 

 

\----

 

The entire class was waiting outside Professor Brock attempted to give out instructions for the field trip. As a group, we walked over to the 8th street station and took the metro a few stops down towards Tribeca. We lost a few kids along the way, but Professor Brock assured us that “they weren't idiots they could figure out how to find the memorial”. 

 

Once we arrived to the memorial, he instructed us to partner up and interview tourists about their knowledge of 9/11. He said if we found any native New Yorkers to ask about their experience that day. Everyone paired off to their own respective friend groups, some even creating groups of three or four. I was left without a partner.

 

I took a small notebook from my bag and scanned the area for someone to interview when I felt a small tap on my shoulder from behind me.

 

Professor Brock stood behind me, visibly shivering from the chill of the evening. 

“No partner? That's a shame, kid. Now you're stuck with me”

 

I gave a light laugh and followed Professor Brock in the direction of the fountain. He pointed towards a family viewing the memorial and gave me a small nod.

We headed in their direction and after an explanation that we were from a local university, they agreed to be interviewed. 

 

Professor Brock asked them a few questions about their experience here in New York, and how they felt about the memorial.

The family was visiting from Scotland, and they explained they didn't even hear about the attack until about a month after it happened. They were recommended to come here by a taxi driver. 

 

We interviewed a few more random tourists until we found one man sitting on a nearby bench, eating a sandwich if he wanted to be interviewed. Turns out the guy was from Queens.

 

Professor Brock turned on his old persona I recognized from his televised interviews. 

 

It's like suddenly I was standing next to “Eddie Brock, Investigative Reporter” instead of standing next to “Professor Brock, the Journalism 105 Professor whos been wearing the same shirt since the semester started”.

 

Professor Brock was asking some, pretty invasive questions honestly. I felt a little bad for the guy. He was explaining the details of how that day went for him and he eventually started to cry. He got up mid-interview and pushed past us, hurrying in the direction of a bunch of tall office buildings. 

 

Nice one. 

 

Professor Brock took a seat on the now empty bench and sighed into his hands.

“I'm sorry if you think I'm a dick,” he said, his voice muffled by his large hands covering his mouth. 

 

“It's fine, I mean. You didn't know he would react like that.” I said, taking a seat next to him. 

 

He pushed his hands up his face, pushing his short messy hair out of his eyes. He glanced over at me, studying my expression.

“What's it like to meet an idol kid? I hope I'm all you imagined me to be” he said, giving out a small chuckle. 

“Yeah,” he continued. “I sure am what you expected. Let me give you some advice kid, journalist to journalist.”

 

He leaned in close to me, the smell of alcohol coming up off his shirt.

“Always trust your gut,” he said. 

He sat up straighter in his seat.

“You said you were working with Penny right?”

 

“Um, yeah. Professor Parker and I are going to start working more closely tomorrow. I'm using her for my semester interview project.” I replied, scooching my body slightly away from him.

 

He nodded his head and thought for a moment.

“So,” he started. “I'm guessing she told you about what happened. Well, she probably told you her version.”

 

“Her version?” 

 

He turned to face me, looking directly into my eyes. He had a serious, almost sad expression on his face.

“Look, kid, what she tells everyone about me isn't totally true. We got into disagreements. Let me explain. 

Penny started as a freelance photographer, eventually one of our editors dropped out and she took over for him. It was a more stable job and it paid a little more. She was still a kid, probably around your age. She was getting her BA I think. Or masters? Fuck she was a smart kid-oh shit sorry I mean _damn_ she was a smart kid. Anyway, point is, yes, I lied. I may have frankensteined a few clippings from emails to make that fucking creep look bad, but I wasn't wrong. I was contacted by the girl, who thank god divorced that son of a bitch. She told me that he threatened to fire her if she didn't marry him. He was so fucking good at hiding all the evidence, but I knew there was trouble and right when I was gonna expose him Penny goes above my head and tells them I'm lying.” 

Professor Brock was clutching the armrest of the bench, his knuckles turning stark white. He looked back at me and he realized how aggressive his demeanor was.

“Sorry kid,” he said. “I just, I'm tired of being the bad guy. Anyway, we both lost our jobs and we both ended up at NYU. So I guess it really doesn't matter. I just didn't want another student of mine to stop respecting me you know?”

 

“No yeah, I understand. I’m sorry that all happened to you.”

 

“Don't worry kid, I'm trying to move past it. Its not getting any easier, especially since I see her all the time but, I gotta do the grownup thing I guess.” he gave me a soft pat on my knee before getting up and rounding up the class.

 

We all debriefed and he wished us all a good day. I turned and headed in the direction of the subway. I rode home thinking about all these conflicting stories.

He seemed honest talking about his past, but what about his present. Were those stories about the students true? He didn't seem like a creepy guy. I don't know what to believe.

 

\-----

 

I dreamed very briefly that night. I had flashing images of subway trains crashing into monsters. Thick black slime covering the windows and rope-like arms crushing the train. I was trapped in a nightmare that I couldn't escape until morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I thought this was a Fem!Peter Parker X Reader ??"
> 
> It is! I'm just taking forever. When I said "slow burn" I meant SLOW. Falling in love takes time. Besides, wheres the drama if theres no love triangle?


	9. Searching; Week 2 Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Transitioning to a new dynamic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen...I'm sorry. We'll see how my schedule goes with starting a new semester and a new job. But I recently got a burst of inspiration so there might be one big dump of chapters and then I disappear for a month again we'll see.

I woke up covered in cold sweat, over an hour before my alarm was set to go off. My heart was pounding so much from that nightmare, there's no way I'm gonna be able to get back to sleep.   
I pulled myself out of bed and dragged myself to the shower, moving quietly so I wouldn't wake up Cas.   
After a warm shower, I felt better. I don't typically get nightmares, this is probably just a result of my anxiety. After all, today is the big day. First day in the lab with Professor Parker. 

I can't even begin to imagine what she’s going to be doing. Hopefully, I can document everything from a safe distance. The last thing I need is a chemical burn.

I began to pack an outfit to change into once I was done with work. I sifted through my dresser drawer filled with different tops and just couldn't decide.  
Should I wear long sleeves since I’ll spend most of the day in the lab? Should I try to look professional?

I found an old, long-sleeve button-down shirt from high school. It was soft from years of wearing it to different special events. Its color had faded from a navy blue to an almost blue-gray color.   
I put it in my bag along with a brown blazer. I’m really trying to go for an old school reporter vibe.  
Once it was time to leave, I eyed the makeup on my counter. I quickly grabbed a tube of pink lipstick and shoved it into my clothes bag.

\------

Work was...well, it was work. On the bright side, I didn't get yelled at by any customers today. I quickly changed into my school clothes, stuffing my work shirt into the bag.   
The subway ride went by quickly for once. All the usual people were sitting near me. It was like we had assigned seating. I wonder if ill get to know anyone's name here.  
It's hard to try and make friends with strangers I guess. But in a weird way, they don't feel like strangers. It's like a small community in this subway cart. I don't know if any of these people really. Community is so impossible to find these days. I’ve been thinking about my old friends more and more lately. I don’t know if I’m missing my friends or just missing belonging to a group. I don’t think I can fill the friend void with subway strangers. 

Before my mind slips further away from me, I ended up at my stop. The sticky September air was hanging heavy on my face and neck as I hurried into the science building. I spotted MJ laying her head down on her desk once I got inside the classroom. She must’ve taken a late shift at the bar. I can’t imagine how overworked she must be. 

Professor Parker came into the classroom a few minutes after I sat down. She also looked exhausted. She was walking with 2 cups of iced black coffee in her hands, her shoulders slumping forward as she dragged herself to her desk. She took a long drink from her coffee cup, patted her cheeks, trying to wake herself up. 

“Okay!” She yelled. “Let’s do some science!”  
She put on her enormous lab coat and began the lesson. 

…

After class was over I waved goodbye to MJ and walked over to Professor Parker's desk.   
“Hey there!” She said, looking much more hyper after a few coffees. “Ready to see what a million-dollar research lab looks like? Now you can finally see what all your tuition money goes to.” She laughed lightly and playfully hit the side of my arm with a notebook. 

“Follow me,” she said, heading down the hall. We walked over to an elevator and she pressed her staff key card to a panel near the button. The elevator gave a quite ding and opened up in front of us. It was so much smaller than I expected, almost like a steel coffin.   
Professor Parker stepped inside and held the door so I could do the same. We were almost on top of each other, I tried to scooch myself as far away from her as possible just so she had some breathing room.

“Sorry, “ she said. “These are technically only for one person but you don't have a card to get down there.”  
She slid her card into a panel on the inside of the elevator and hit the button marked “B-2”. The air in the elevator hung heavy and still as it descended down into the basement. She stood with her back to the elevator doors, facing me. She gave me a weak smile and quickly looked down at the floor after looking me in the eye. Her cheeks began to slowly grow pink and she focused on her shoes.   
After a few moments, the elevator came to a stop and Professor Parker stepped out backwards to reveal the private lab. 

The bright fluorescent lights hurt my eyes as I stepped out of the elevator. The walls were gleaming white, and every few panels or so were covered with cork boards littered with papers. There was a hallway off to the right that only had one door at the end of it, along with another one of those keycard panels. To the left, there was another similar hallway, but with 3 different doors, only one of them with a keycard panel.

“So, “ I asked. “What exactly is down here?”  
Professor Parker shook off her lab coat and placed it on top of a desk along the wall. “Well, let's see. This is the only BioChem lab that we have down here, and since it's just me and Gwen-uh sorry- Dr. Stacy who teach BioChem it's just us down here. Oh, and the dean of the Science department. It used to be his private lab but he couldn't say no to me when I asked if we could use it. He’s really cool I think you’d like him. Have you met Mr. Osborn?”

“No, I haven't.” 

“Oh, he’s real nice. His son is even nicer, we used to be pals in school. We were even roommates in college. Oh but uh, don’t tell anyone okay? It sounds kinda bad if people know that I was buddies with his son and then got this kind of access.”

“Don't worry Professor, I'll keep it locked up tight,” I said with a smile.

Professor Parker gave me a goofy grin and then ran her hand along the backside of her short hair. She looked down at her shoes and cleared her throat before speaking.   
“Yeah, sure thank you. Uh, you know you can just call me by my first name, right? Well, outside of the classroom. Professor Parker is kind of a mouthful, heh.”

 

“Alright then, thanks, Penny.”

 

“Just Pen is okay.”

“Okay, Pen.” 

Her cheeks deepened in color and she looked back at the floor again. 

“Alright well, let's do some science!” She said, turning around and walking towards a large door on the opposite end of the room. She opened the door wide and gestured for me to go inside.

“Ready?”


End file.
